Arkansas Drivers Handbook | Arkansas Drivers Manual

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TABLE OF CONTENTSTHE DRIVER LICENSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1Keeping the Driver License . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Accepted Identification List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Applicants Under Eighteen Years of Age . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5BEFORE YOU DRIVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Planning the Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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ARKANSAS DRIVER LICENSE STUDY GUIDE VOLUME 1 - EDITION 7 APRIL 2012 LITTERING: ITS AGAINST THE LAW. Withadriverlicensecomestheresponsibilityofbeingfamiliarwith thelawsof the road. As a driveryou areaccountablefor whatmay be thrownfrom the vehicleonto a city street or state highway. 8-6-404 PENALTIES (a)(1)(A)(i)A person convicted of a violation of 8-6-406 or 8-6-407 for a first offense shall be guilty of an unclassifiedmisdemeanorand shall be fined in an amount of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) and not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000). (ii)An additional sentence of not more than eight (8) hours of community service shall be imposed under this subdivision (a)(1)(A). (B)(i)A person convicted of a violation of 8-6-406 or 8-6- 407 for a second or subsequent offense within three (3) years ofthefirstoffenseshallbeguiltyofanunclassified misdemeanor and shall be fined in an amount of not less than two hundreddollars ($200) and not more than two thousand dollars ($2,000). (ii)An additional sentence of not more than twenty-four(24) hoursofcommunityservicemaybeimposedunderthis subdivision (a)(1)(B). (2) Inadditiontothosepenalties,anyviolatormayalsobe requiredtoremovelitterfromalongsidehighwaysandat other appropriate locations for any prescribed period. (b)Any person who violates 8-6-406 or 8-6-407 and who is found to have committed the prohibitedacts in furtherance of or as a part of a commercial enterprise, whether or not that enterpriseisthedisposalofwastes,shallbeguiltyof commerciallitteringandshallbeguiltyofaClassA misdemeanor.Additionally,thoseconvictedmayberequired to remove any litter disposed of in violation of this subchapter. (c)Any person who violates any provision of 8-6-408 shall be guilty of: (1)An unclassifiedmisdemeanorfor a first offense and shall be fined one thousand dollars ($1,000) and sentenced to one hundred (100) hours of community service; and (2)AClassAmisdemeanorforasecondorsubsequent offense. (d)(1)All or any portion of the fines, community service, and imprisonmentpenaltiesprovidedbythissectionmaybe suspendedby the judge if the violator agrees to remove litter fromalongsidehighwaysandatotherappropriatelocations for a prescribed period. (e)In addition to all other penalties, any person convicted of a violation of 8-6-406 or 8-6-407 who fails to pay any fines assessed in accordance with the findings and orders of the courtshallhavehis or herdriver'slicensesuspendedfor six (6) months by the Department of Finance and Administration, upon receipt of an order of denial of driving privileges from the court pursuant to this section. 8-6-407COMMERCIALREFUSEHAULINGBY UNCOVEREDVEHICLES It shall be unlawful for any person engaged in commercialor for-hirehaulingtooperateanytruckorothervehiclewithin thisstatetotransportlitter,trash,orgarbageunlessthe vehicleiscoveredtopreventitscontentsfromblowing, dropping,fallingoff,orotherwisedepartingfromthevehicle. Inaddition,anypersonoperatinghisowntruckorother vehicletotransportlitter,trash,orgarbageshalltake reasonablestepstopreventitscontentsfromblowing, dropping,fallingoff,orotherwisedepartingfromthevehicle. However,novehiclehaulingpredominatelymetallicmaterial shallberequiredtobecoveredifitisloadedinamanner whichwillpreventthematerialfromfallingordroppingfrom the vehicle. 8-6-408 DISCARDINGCERTAIN ITEMS PROHIBITED Itshallbeunlawfulforanypersontoplaceorcausetobe placed any junk motor vehicle,old vehicletire, or inoperative or abandonedhouseholdappliance,or part thereof,upon the right-of-wayofanypublichighway,uponanyotherpublic property,oruponanyprivatepropertywhichhedoesnot own, lease, rent, or otherwise control, unless it is at a salvage yard,apermitteddisposalsite,oratthebusiness establishment of a demolisher. 8-6-409 PRIMA FACIE EVIDENCEAGAINSTDRIVERS If the throwing, dumping, or depositing of litter was done from amotorvehicle,exceptamotorbus,itshallbeprimafacie evidence that the throwing, dumping,or depositingwas done by the driver of the motor vehicle. TABLE OFCONTENTS THE DRIVER LICENSE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Keeping theDriver License . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Accepted IdentificationList . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 ApplicantsUnderEighteenYearsofAge................5 BEFORE YOU DRIVE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Planning theTrip. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Inspecting theVehicle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Keeping Your FieldofVision Clean and Clear. . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Adjusting Driver Seatand Mirrors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 UseofSafetyBeltsand Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 TheLaw onLittering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Unattended Children and Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 RULES OFTHE ROAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Construction/MaintenanceZone Safety. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 TrafficControls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 LightedTrafficSignals...........................13 TrafficSigns..................................14 Pavement Markings.............................18 Right OfWay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Intersections ..................................21 Passing.....................................21 EmergencyVehicle ..............................21 SchoolBuses ..................................22 Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 AR Governors Commission onPeople with Disabilities . . . . .23 PRACTICE THE RULES OFSAFE DRIVING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Operating theMotor Vehicle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Starting theVehicleEngine........................24 Acceleration..................................24 SteeringtheVehicle .............................24 Monitoring VehicleSpeed .........................25 Stopping ....................................25 Remaining Alertand Avoiding Distractions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 LookingAhead ................................26 LookingtotheSides ............................27 Intersections..................................27 LookingBehind. ...............................28 Changing Lanes................................28 Slowing .....................................29 Backing .....................................29 MovingAlongSteepInclines .......................29 Seeand Be Seen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 ExternalVehicleLights ...........................29 Warning Horn ................................30 EmergencySignals .............................31 BlindSpots ...................................32 LetOther Drivers KnowYour Intentions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Signaling toChangeDirections .....................32 Signaling toSlow ..............................32 Adjusting theVehicleSpeed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Adjusting toRoadConditions ......................33 Curves......................................33 SlipperyRoad.................................33 Water OvertheRoadway.........................34 Adjusting totheFlowofTraffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 KeepingPace..................................34 MergingWith Traffic ............................35 ExitingtheTrafficFlow..........................35 SlowMovingTraffic .............................35 TroubleSpots..................................35 Visibility and Reaction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Darkness.....................................36 Rain,Fog or Snow ..............................36 HillsandCurves...............................36 ParkedVehicles ................................36 SightDistanceRule .............................36 SpeedLimits..................................37 Distance and Reaction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 FollowingDistance .............................37 SlipperyRoads.................................37 TheDriverBehindYouWants toPass ................38 FollowingMotorcycles...........................38 Towing ......................................38 Poor Visibility.................................38 BeingFollowedTooClosely........................38 FollowingEmergencyVehicles ......................38 ApproachingRailroadCrossings....................38 StoppingonanIncline ...........................38 TheSafetyCushion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 TraffictotheRear ..............................38 TraffictotheSide..............................39 Merging. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Intersecting Traffic..............................40 PassingDistance...............................40 Oncoming Vehicles.........................40 HillsandCurves ..........................40 Intersections.............................40 LaneObstructions .........................41 Beware Unusual TrafficCircumstances. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Individuals WhoCannot SeeYou ...................41 Individuals WhoAreDistracted .....................41 Individuals WhoMayBeDisoriented or Confused ........42 Consideration ofOtherDrivers .....................42 TRACTOR TRAILER RIGS WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW . . . .42 Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Turning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Avoiding theTractor-Trailer NoZone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Manuverability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 SHARINGTHE ROADWITHBICYCLES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 SafetyTipsForMotor VehicleDrivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 Residential AreasAre Danger Zones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 LanePositions forBicycles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 DRIVINGFITNESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 PeripheralVision ...............................47 JudgingDistanceandSpeed .......................47 NightVision..................................47 Hearing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Fatigue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Drinking and Driving. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 AlcoholImpairment............................48 BodyMetabolism...............................49 AlcoholandtheLaw............................49 OtherTypesofDrugsandDriving ...................50 Health. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Epilepsy.....................................50 Diabetes.....................................51 HeartConditions...............................51 Emotional Distress .............................51 EMERGENCIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 VehicleEmergencies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 BrakeFailure.................................52 Blowouts .....................................52 EngineFailure.................................52 Headlight Failure ..............................52 FaultyAccelerator..............................52 Avoiding Collision. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Stopping .....................................52 With ABS ...............................53 Without ABS.............................53 Turning .....................................53 With ABS ...............................53 Without ABS ............................53 Accelerating. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Skids. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Protect Yourself. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 RearImpact ..................................54 SideImpact ...................................55 FrontImpact ..................................55 TrafficCrashes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 CrashScene..................................55 AssistingtheInjured ............................56 KeepaRecordofCrashInformaiton .................56 SKILLS TEST GUIDELINES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 PLEASE RETURN THISSTUDY GUIDETO YOUR ARKANSAS STATE POLICEDRIVER LICENSE EXAMINER. PublishedMarch2012 1 This studyguideoffersyouinformation about safe driving rulesandpractices that, if closelyfollowed, willserveas thefoundation inpreparing youtosuccessfully pass yourwritten andpractical driverlicenseexaminations andmany safeandenjoyable yearsof driving pleasures. Be suretoreadtheguidethoroughly. Without becoming adequately familiar with theinformation contained within theguide,youcannot passthewritten test. Likewise, youshould readandunderstand thesection describing thewritten andpractical tests. THE DRIVER LICENSE Anyonewhooperatesa motorvehicle,motorcycle,motor-driven cycle, or motorized bicycleonpublichighways inArkansas isrequired tohavealicenseor certificate.In ordertobelegal, drivers are requiredtohave an Arkansas driver licenseif theyarelocated inthestateformore than six months as a non-resident, or within thirtydaysoncebecoming a resident. On J uly1,2002,Arkansas implementedagraduateddriver license program. The graduatedprogramis explainedlater in this sectionof the study guide. Anyquestions that mayariseasyoureadabout thegraduated license programshouldbe directedto thenearestArkansasDepartmentof Finance andAdministration,OfficeofDriverServices,orthroughtheDF&Awebsite http://www.arkansas.gov/dfa/ orby telephone contact at(501) 682-7059. Thefollowing individuals candriveonArkansasstreetsandroadways provided they havea validlicensefromtheirhome stateandtheyareat leastsixteenyearsold. MilitaryMembersoftheArmedForcesonactiveduty,or membersofforeignmilitaryontemporarydutywiththeU.S. ArmedForces.Act 235of2005 permits U.S. military spouses to obtain anArkansasDriverLicensewithout testing,if thespouse hashelda driverlicensethatexpired whileresiding outside the United States. Student Studentsattendingclasses who are considered non-residents under rulesregulating payment of tuition. An individual mayobtain a driverlicenseif: You areat leastfourteen yearsof age(restricted license). You areat leasteighteen yearsof age(non-restricted license). You areunder theageof eighteen andsubmit theappropriate documents fromyourschool (i.e.school attendance form). You are ableto submit proof of name, residential address, anddateof birth. You possess parental orguardian consent if under theageofeighteen. You passa regular driverlicensetest. You submit a validdriverlicenseissuedby another recognized licensing authority. 2 You arenotcurrently under anysuspension, revocation, ordenial inwhole orinpartby thisoranyother state,oroneyearhaspassed sinceany revocation. You legallyresidewithin theUnited States. You havenotbeen judged by a courttobementally incompetent, an alcoholic, ora habitual userof illegalnarcotics. You havenojudgments pending fora moving trafficviolation. TypesofGraduatedDriver Licenses Anindividualwho does not possessanArkansas driver license but intends to practice their driving skillswhilelearning todrivemust firstobtain aninstruction permit. Suchpermits are onlyvalidwhiletheunlicensed driveris driving witha parent, guardian orauthorized licensed driverpresent inside thevehicle. InstructionPermits(except Motorcycle Permits),Learners Licenses,Intermediate LicensesandClassDLicensesauthorize anindividual tooperate anautomobile or anyother four-wheel vehiclewitha grossweightrating(GVWR) under 26,001 pounds, provided thevehicleis notdesigned to transport sixteenor more passengers (including thedriver), andthevehicleis nottransporting material defined as hazardous material. Forinformation concerning driverlicensing forpersons whomayoperate vehicles witha GVWR over26,000 pounds, designed totransport sixteenormore passengers ortransport hazardous material, please refertotheArkansas Commercial Driver LicenseManual. InstructionPermitThispermit allows adrivertooperate amotor vehiclewhen accompanied by a licensed driver,twenty-one yearsof age orolder, whois occupying a seatbeside thedriver,exceptin theeventthepermit holder is operating a motorcycle. Theapplicant foraninstruction permit must beatleastfourteen yearsofage.To obtain theinstruction permit, anapplicant must passtheknowledge testandvision test.Ifthe applicantisunder the ageofeighteen,aconsentform signedbythe applicantsparentor legal guardianmustbe submittedalongwith grade and attendance forms fromtheapplicants highschool. The permit is issuedfor six months andcanberenewed foranadditional six month period if theapplicant hasnotbeen atfault inanaccidentorbeenconvicted ofaserioustrafficviolationwithin the preceding six month period. Allpassengersridinginamotorvehicle being operatedbyapersonwith an Instruction Permit must wearsafetyseatbeltswhilethevehicleis operating. LearnersLicenseThislicense isarestrictedlicense issued topersons between fourteen andsixteenyears of age. The applicant must possess a validInstruction Permit indicating successful completionof therequired knowledge, visionandskillstests. 3 The applicant mustnothave beenat fault in a traffic crash or beenconvictedof a serious traffic violation withinthe precedingsix months priorto application. A personoperating a motor vehicle with a Learners License mustbe accompanied by a licenseddriver who is atleasttwenty-oneyearsofageand allpassengers riding inamotorvehiclebeing operated byapersonwithanInstruction Permitmustwearsafetyseatbeltswhilethe vehicleis operating. Cellularphones areprohibited by law for telephone conversations except for an emergency.Text messagingis also prohibited. Intermediate License This license is a restrictedlicense issuedto personsbetweensixteen andeighteenyears of age. The applicant mustpossess a valid Instruction Permitindicating successfulcompletion oftherequired knowledge, vision,andskillstestsoraLearners License. The applicant mustnothave beenat faultin traffic crashor beenconvictedof a serioustraffic violation withintheprecedingsix month periodpriortoapplication. All passengersridingina vehiclebeingoperated by a personwithanIntermediateLicense mustwear safety seat beltswhilethevehicle is operating. Cellularphones are prohibited bylawfortelephoneconversations exceptforanemergency.Text messagingisalso prohibited.A driver withan intermediate licenseshallnotoperatea motor vehicle with morethanone(1)unrelated minor passengerunlessaccompanied by a licenseddriver thatis twenty-one (21)years of age or olderwhois occupyingthefrontpassengerseat of themotor vehicle. A driver withan intermediate drivers licensecan notoperatea motor vehiclebetweenthehoursof 11:00pmand4:00amunlessaccompanied by a licensed drivertwenty-one (21)years of age or older,drivingtoor froma schoolactivity, church activity, job,or becauseof anemergency. Class D License This license is a non-restricted license issued to personseighteenyears of age or older.The applicant mustpossessa validInstruction Permitindicatingsuccessful completion of the requiredknowledge, vision,andskills tests or an Intermediate License. Theapplicant mustnothavebeenatfaultinconnection withatrafficcrashorbeen convicted ofaserious trafficviolationwithin thepreceding twelvemonthsprior to application. A driverof a motor vehiclewhois at leasteighteen(18)butundertwenty- one(21)yearsofagemayuseahands-free wirelesstelephone ordeviceforinteractive communication whiledriving.A hand-held wirelesstelephone canonlybeusedfor emergencies. Text messagingis notallowedregardlessof age. Class M License This license is a non-restricted license issuedto personssixteen years of age oroldertooperatea motorcycleonpublicroadways.The applicant mustpossessa validInstructionPermit indicatingsuccessfulcompletionofallrequired knowledge, vision, and skillstests. Themotorcycle skillstestcan bewaived foran applicant successfully completinga Motorcycle SafetyFoundation Riders Course within the precedingninetyday periodpriorto application. Class MD License This licenseis a restrictedlicenseissuedto personsbetweenfourteen andsixteenyears of age. The applicant mustpossessa validInstruction Permitindicating successful completion of all knowledge, vision,andskills tests. The motor-driven skill test canbewaivedforanapplicant successfullycompleting aMotorcycleSafetyFoundation RidersCoursewithin thepreceding ninety dayperiod priortoapplication. A person possessinga Class MD License is restrictedto operating motorcyclesdisplacing250-cubic centimeters or less. Motorized BicyclesCertificate Thiscertificateis a restrictedcertificateissuedtopersons fourteenyears of age or older as ofJ uly 27, 72011. A personpossessinga Motorized Bicycle Certificateisrestrictedtooperatingmotorizedbicyclesormotorcyclesdisplacingfifty centimeters or less. The applicant mustsuccessfully complete knowledge,vision, and skills tests. The Motorized Bicycle Certificate skill tests can be waived for an applicant successfully completing a Motorcycle Safety Foundation Riders Course withinthe precedingninetyday periodpriortoapplication. A person possessingaClassA, ClassB, ClassC,ClassD, Intermediate, Learners,ClassMorClassMDLicensecanlegallyoperate amotorized bicycle or motorcyclesdisplacingfifty cubiccentimeters or less. 4 Keeping theDriver License Inorder tokeepyourdriverlicense, youmust drivesafelyat all times.You canlose yourlicensefor: Beingconvicted of driving under theinfluence of alcohol ordrugs. Refusinga request by a lawenforcement officertobetested foralcohol or narcotics intoxication. Leavingthesceneof anaccident inwhich youareinvolved without identifying yourself. FailingtonotifytheDepartment of Finance andAdministration of a reportable trafficcrashinwhich youwereinvolved. Givingfalseinformation when youapplyfora driverlicense. Failingtoshowproof of financial responsibility orfailingtosettlea financial judgment made against youfordamages resulting froma motor vehiclecrash. Attempting tochange theinformation onyourlicenseorusinganother persons licensewhen attempting topurchase analcoholic beverage. Failingtoappear forre-examination when requested todosoby the Officeof DriverServices. Usinga motor vehicletocommit a felonyorcausethedeath of anyone in a motor vehiclecrash. Accumulating excessivepoints against yourdriving record. Allowinganother person touseyourdriverlicense. Failuretodisclose anyinformation about aprevious driverlicenseorpresenting anyfalse information or altered documents canresultin lossof future driving privileges and/or arrestforfraudulent application. Driverlicenseapplicants notcitizens of theUnited Statesmaking aninitial application for anArkansasdriverlicensemust show proof oflegalpresence intheUnited States. Beforetesting canbegin, theapplicant must provide oneof thefollowing documents: United Statesbirth certificate (original orcertified copy) U.S. Passport U.S. Visa SocialSecurityCard(no metal cards) Photo INS document (except BorderCrosser) Photo military ormilitary dependentID Naturalization Certificate 5 Accepted IdentificationList All applicants foranArkansas driverlicensemust provide proof ofidentification before testingcanbegin.Theaccepted identification documents include: An Arkansasphoto driverlicenseoridentification card Two Primary Documents; or OnePrimary andOneSecondary Document Primary Documents: Outof statedriverlicenseorstateissuedphoto ID US birth certificate (original orcertified copy) Photo INS Document (except border crosser) Passport (ifforeign, INS CardorU.S. Visa required) Naturalization certificate Court order (must contain fullname, dateof birth & courtseal) MilitaryorMilitaryDependent photo ID ArmedForcesDischarge documents Secondary Documents: Employment orschool photo ID Vehicleregistration and/ortitle BureauofIndian Affairs/Indian treatycard(no tribalcards) Marriagelicense Health insurance card IRS/StateTax Forms(W-2Formis notacceptable) Court order (date of birth notpresent) Concealed HandgunLicense Certified school transcript Pilotlicense Parental affidavit (Parent must appear inperson, proving hisorher identity andsubmit notarized affidavit of childsidentity. Appliesto minors only) Court records Prison releasedocuments Proofof legal documents mayalsoserve as proof of identification in theappropriate primaryorsecondary category. Additional documentationmayberequired ifthe documentationsubmitted appears tobequestionable oriftheissuing agencyhas reason tobelievetheapplicant hasclaimed a falseidentity. ApplicantsUnderEighteenYearsofAge Beforewritten driverlicensetestingcanbegin, applicants under theageofeighteen must havethefollowing documentation: 6 An original orcertified copyof aBIRTHCERTIFICATE andanyone(1) secondary document issuedby a different source withcorresponding identity and/or dateof birth. SIGNATUREOFPARENT (ifliving)must beprovided ontheapplication indicating theparent assumes all legalandfinancial responsibilities associated withtheoperation of a motor vehicleby theapplicant. A step-parent orguardian maysigntheapplication if theindividual can present courtdocuments substantiating legalguardian statusas provided inACA 27-16-702. SCHOOL ATTENDANCE & GRADE AVERAGE FORMSaremandatory documents required tobeginthetestingprocess. Thesespecialforms are obtained fromthebusiness officeat yourschool. Priortoyour application inform yourschools administrative staffof yourintentions to testfora driverlicenseandaskthem toprovide youwithproper grade averageandattendance forms. Theforms arefurnished totheschool district by theDepartment of Education.Theform must becompleted at theschool office, signed bya school official, stamped with theschool seal,and must bedated nomore than 30daysprior tosubmission of thelicense application. Highschool diplomas andGED certificates may alsobeaccepted. Individuals beinghome schooled must provide proof in theformof a notarized copyof thewritten notice of intent tohome school provided by theparent orguardian tothesuperintendent of the localschool district. Adulteducation program students must furnish proof of enrollment andregular attendance intheprogram.Report cards are not accepted. Likewise,thereporting forms from thelocal school districts that appear tohavebeen altered willnot beaccepted. HOMESCHOOL STUDENTFORMSareavailable through theArkansas Department of Education, OfficeofHome Schooling. Telephone contact withtheofficecanbemade through (501) 682-1874. Thereporting forms must exhibit a legalnotary sealwhen submitted witha license application. Failuretodisclose anyinformation about aprevious driverlicenseorpresenting anyfalse information or altered documents to theexaminer mayresultin lossof future driving privileges and/ortheapplicant beingarrested forfraudulent application. Beforeanyskills test is administered, theapplicant must showproof of insurance and havea current vehicleregistration certificate for thevehicleto be usedduring theskills test. BEFORE YOU DRIVE Beforeyoudrivetakethetime tohonestly assesswhether yourtripisnecessary, especially during badweather or when driving maybe hazardous. If youdrive,yoursafety and that ofthepublic dependsgreatlyonwhat youdobeforedriving, including 7 adjusting yourseatandmirrors, usingsafetybelts,checking yourvehicle,maintaining a clearviewoutside thevehicle,andsecuring thevehicle. Planning theTrip Thereare ways youcanhelpreduce yourdriving costs.First, determine youroverall transportation needs andconsider thefollowing: Planthetrip,nomatter thedistance. Planning reduces driving distance andstress. Usepublic transportation whenever it is available. Avoiddriving during periods of heavytraffic.It causesstressonthedriver andthevehicle. Usecarpools andsharerideswhenever possible. Planandcombine yourtrips.Makea listof thethings youneed andthe placesyouneed togo.Gotoas many placesas possible onanyonetrip. Take theshortest distance between locations. Attempt toreduce the number of placesyouneed togo. When picking uppackages orspecialty items,callahead toyour destination andconfirm whether theitemsyouneed areavailable. By doing thesethings youcanhelpreduce theamount of trafficontheroad, reduce yourtravelcosts,andsaveyourself timeandeffort. Inspecting theVehicle Howsafelyyoumaycomplete a tripbegins withthecondition ofthevehicleyou plan todrive. A vehiclein poor operating condition is unsafe andlikewisemore costlyto operate. Such vehicles are morelikely to becomedisabledalongthe highwayor cause a collision. Vehiclesinsub-standard operating condition maynotproperly respond to adriversreaction whileattempting toavoid animminentemergency orcollision. A vehicleingoodoperating order willalwaysprovide anextramargin of safety. Exercisethesafetyrecommendationsthatarespecifictoyourvehicle.Thisvery important information as well as theprescribed routine maintenance schedule for your car canbefound in theoperating handbook. Its a goodideatobecome familiar with thehandbook andlearntheunique operating features of thevehicle,especially those relating toemergencies suchas a flattire. Some ofthemaintenancefunctions canbeperformed bythevehicle operator, however it is important to appreciate thesafetyvaluefound in a certified mechanic who willinspect and/or makerepairs toyourvehicle. A few extraminutes checking thefollowing itemsmayprevent theneed for roadside assistance froma mechanic, avoida trafficcrashorevensaveyourlife oranother. 8 Brakingsystem Onlythebrakes installed by a vehiclemanufacturer cansafelystop thevehicle.It is very dangerous if youattempt to drivea vehicleandthebrakes are not working properly. If thebrakes are notworking properly, or evenif youthink thebrake systemis notfunctioning as it should, youshould notdrivethevehicleuntil it canbe inspected orrepaired byacertified mechanic.Someindicators ofproblems withthe braking systeminclude noise fromunder thevehiclewhen thebrakepedal is depressed, afoulodor during heavybraking ordepressing thebrake pedal withlittleorany breaking action. LightsMakesurethatturn signals,brakelights,tail lights,andheadlights are operating properly. Theseshould bechecked from outside thevehicle.Brakelightsindicate to other road usersthatyouarestopping, andturn signalsindicate thedirection youwill turn. A misaligned headlight maybeaimed inthedirection itdoesnothelpyouor temporarily blind other drivers. If youarehaving trouble clearlyseeingtheroadway at night, orif other driversofopposing trafficareflashing theirheadlights as youpass, it maybetimetohavea mechanic checktheheadlights. Windshield andWipersDamaged glasscanbreakmore easilyina minor collision orwhenanobject hits the windshield.Have adamagedwindshieldrepairedor replaced. Windshield wiperskeeptherainandsnowoffthewindshield whileyoure driving. Makesurethewiperblades areingood condition and replace theblades regularly. Tires Wornorbaldtiresmayincrease yourstopping distance andmaketurning more difficult especially ona wet streetor highway. Unbalanced tiresandlow inflation pressure causefastertirewear,reduce fueleconomy, andmakethevehicleharder to steerandstop.If thevehiclebounces, or thesteering wheelshakes, or thevehiclepulls tooneside,haveamechanic checkthetiresandsuspension. Worn tirescancause hydroplaning andincrease thechance of a flattireduring a trip.Keepanairpressure gaugeinthevehiclegloveboxandcheckthetireairpressure regularly. Alwayscheck thepressure before thevehicleisoperated whilethetiresarecold.Useinformation fromthevehicleowners manual forproper inflation pressure. Thetiretreadcanbe checked for proper depth by usinga penny. PlacethecoinwithAbe Lincolns head first between thetreadgrooves. If thetreaddoesnotcomeuptoorcoverLincolns head, thetireis notsafeandshould bereplaced. SteeringSystemIf thesteering is notworking properly ordifficult tocontrol the direction of thevehicleorif thevehicledoesnotturn when thesteering wheelis first moved, havethesteering mechanism checked by a mechanic. SuspensionSystemThesuspension helps thedrivercontrol a vehicleandprovides acomfortable rideoveravarietyofroad surfaces. Ifthevehiclebounces alotand continues to bounce afterpassing overa bump or afterthevehiclecomes to a stop,you mayneed newshockabsorbers orother suspension systemparts. ExhaustSystemThe exhaust systemhelps remove toxicgasesfromtheengine, aids inthereduction ofnoise from theengine, and helps coolthehotgasesfrom the runningengine. Fumesfrom aleakyexhaust cancausedeath inaveryshort time. 9 Neverallowtheengine to idlein yourgarageor sit in thecar whilethemotor is idling withoutopeningawindow.Duringextendedwintertravelitsagoodideato occasionally open a window andallowfreshair to fill thecabin of thevehicleavoiding anyriskof toxicexhaust fumes filtering intothemoving vehicle. EngineAn engine notproperly maintained maylosepower needed forroutine driving or in a worstcase situation, when thedriverneeds power to avoidanimminent crashoremergency. Poorly maintainedengines alsotend nottostarteasily,offerless thanacceptable fuel economyand pollutethe environment.Alwaysfollow the prescribed procedures forroutine maintenance found inthevehicleowner/operator handbook. LooseObjectsAlways beawareof whatitemsmaybeinthevehicleyouredriving. Make sure the there are no loose packagesorotherobjects that couldbecome dangerousprojectiles that could strikeyouorapassenger intheeventofasudden stoporcrash.Keep thefloorof thevehicleclearof anything thatcould rollunder the brakepedal preventing thebrakefromoperating at its maximumeffectiveness. HornIt maynotseemthatthewarning horn would beanimportant partofthe vehiclesafetypackage, butthisdevicecould saveyourlife.It should onlybeusedas a warning toothers. Keeping Your FieldofVisionClean and Clear Being ableto clearlysee whatsoutside yourvehiclewhileyouredriving is probably thebestdefense thereis toprevent a trafficcrash.It is important thatthedriversview through allwindows of thevehicleis unobstructed witha clearfieldof visionforthe driverto see therearviewmirror andboth sideview mirrors. Likewise,yourheadlights andwarning lightsshould alsobeunobstructed andclearof dirtanddebris. Hereare a few tipstoremember thatmayhelpyou: Keepthewindshield clean.Brightsunorheadlights ona dirtywindshield makeit difficult tosee.Carryliquid cleaner anda paper orclothtowelso youcancleanyourwindshield surfacewhenever necessary. Keepyourwindowwasherbottlefull.Useantifreezewashwhenthe temperature mayfallbelow freezing. Theinside surface ofthewindows shouldnot beoverlooked. Keepthe inside window surfaces clean,especially if anyone hasbeen smoking in the vehicle.Smoking causesa filmtobuild upontheinterior glass. Nevertry to drivewithsnow, ice or frostontheexterior windows. Clearthe front, side,andbackwindows before youdrive. Donothang items from yourmirror orclutter-up theviewthrough the windshield withdecals.Theseitemscould blocka portion of yourview. 10 Keeptheheadlights, backup, brake,andtaillights clean.Dirtonthelenses cancuttheeffectiveness of thelightsby as much as 50percent. Adjusting Driver Seatand Mirrors Alwayscheckyourseatandmirrors before driving away.Somevehiclesaredriven by more than oneperson andtheseadjustments will havetobemade regularly as the driverschange. Adjustthedriverseatso thatyoucansee above thefront of thevehiclewith anunobstructed view of theroadway. If necessary usea seatcushion. Never tryto move the seat forwardbeyondapointthat you cannoteasily maneuver thesteering wheel. You should beabletoseeoutthebackwindow withtherearviewmirror, andtothesidesusingtheexterior sidemirrors. If youvehicleis equipped witha daylight/nighttime mirror, makesureit is correctly positionedforthecurrent lighting conditions. Head restraints aredesigned toprevent neckinjuries should yourvehicle bestruckfrombehind. Head restsshould beadjusted sothehead restraint contacts thebackof thehead. UseofSafetyBeltsand Child Restraints Beforeyoudriveaway,alwaysfastenyoursafetybeltsandmakesureall passengers areusingsafetybelts,orchildrestraints. Also remember tolockthevehicledoors. Itis important thatyouandyourpassengers usesafetybelts.Studieshaveshown thatif youareinvolved inacrash,usingsafetybelts,yourchances ofbeinghurtor killed aregreatly reduced.InArkansas,itisillegaltodrive, ortobeafront-seat passenger, without wearing safetybelts. Be sureto wearboth thelapbeltandshoulder belt.Usingjustonepartof thesafety restraint systemreduces thelevel of protective effectiveness. If yourvehicleis equipped withanautomatic shoulder belt,besuretoalsobuckle thelapbelt. Inaddition toprotecting youfrominjury,safetybeltshelpthedriverkeepcontrol of thevehicle.If yourvehicleis struckby a moving objectsuchas another vehicle,orif youhaveto makea sudden turn, theinertial forcefromtheimpact or turn could push youandyourpassengers toonesideor theother of thevehicle.A safetybeltwill help keepthedriverinplacetocontrol thevehicle. Safety beltsshould be worn evenif thevehicleis equipped withair bags.Whilemodern airbagsystems aregood protection devices,anairbagwillnotkeepyouandyour passengers inposition, particularly during a roll-over crash. 11 Thelawrequires thatallchildren under theageoffifteenwearappropriatesafety restraints whilethevehicleis in motion. Children under theage of six, or weighing less thansixtypounds,mustbesecuredinanapprovedsafetyseat.Anumberof organizations willloan youa childsafetyseatif youareunable toafford one. Manyindividuals havecometorelyoninaccurate information about usingsafety belts.Herearea few examples: Safetybeltscantrapyouinsideacar. It takesless than a second toreleasea safety belt.You mayhearreports of a car thatwasengulfed by fireorwasemerged inwater afterbeing forced from theroadway. Crashes suchasthese seldom happen. Evenif theydo,a safetybeltmaykeepyoufrombeingleft unconscious. Your chance of escape fromtheflamesorwaterwill bebetter if youareconscious. Safetybeltsaregoodonlongtrips,butIdonotneedthemifIamdrivingaround town. Overhalfofalltrafficcrashdeaths occurwithin twenty-five milesofa drivershome. Manyof thecrashes occuronroads withposted speed limitsof less than 45mph. Somepeoplearethrown clearinacrashandwalkawaywithhardlyascratch. Your chances of surviving a motor vehiclecrashare much better if youstay inside thevehicle. A safetybeltcankeepyoufrom being thrown outofyourvehicleintothepath of another vehicle. IfIgethit from the side,Im betteroffbeingthrown acrossthe car,awayfromthecrashpoint.When a vehicleis struckfromthe side,itquicklymovessideways. Everythinginthecarthatisnot secured,includingthedriverand passengers,willslide toward the point of crash,notawayfromit. Atslowspeed,Icanbracemyself.Evenat 25mph, theforceof a head-on crashis thesameas pedaling a bicycleintoa brickwallordivingoff a threestorytallbuilding onto thesidewalk below. Noonecansafelybracethemselves forsuchanimpact. TheLaw onLittering Arkansas isTheNatural Stateand litterisunnatural. Morethan justanugly, offensivenuisancethat detractsfrom Arkansas scenic beauty;roadsidelitter is dangerous to motorists andnegatively impacts theenvironmental quality. Litter is also expensive tocontrol. Motorists must acceptpersonal responsibility forkeeping their wasteitemsfrom littering Arkansas roadways. Pleasedemonstrate pride whileusing yourdriving privilege. Dont permit thoughtless orcarelessactions tolitterourstates roadways. 12 Litteringis alsoa violation ofthelaw.Upon conviction, firstoffenders aresubject toafineofupto$1,000and not more thaneight hours ofcommunityservice. Subsequentconvictions canresultinfinesupto$2,000 and twenty-four hoursof communityservice. Unattended Children and Pets Every summer we readtragicstoriesof children or petsdyingdueto driverswholeft themunattendedinsideahotvehicle.Evenwiththewindowspartiallyopen, temperaturesrapidly risetodeadly levelsinside avehicleparked indirectsunlight. Thereis alsothedanger ofa childbeingabducted fromanunattended vehicle.Even if youonlyintend to be awayfromthevehiclefor a few minutes, donotleavechildren orpetsunattended. RULES OFTHE ROAD Therearetrafficlaws,rulesandregulations thatdictate where,when, andhowfast youcandriveandeachis designed to helpkeeptrafficmoving safely.Rules of theroad include trafficcontrols, lanecontrols, right-of-way laws,andparking rules. Construction/MaintenanceZone Safety Highway workzones are established according to thetypeof workunderway along theroadway. Signsinworkareasaretypically diamondshaped, orange, displaying blacklettersor symbols, andserve as a warning thatpeople are working onor nearthe highway. In addition to warning signs,policeofficers,flaggers,roadway markings, and trafficcontrol devicesareusedtodirectdriverssafelythrough workzones andprotect highway workers. Through many workzones, thespeed limitsmaybereduced andlaneusagecould berestricted forsafetypurposes. Any reduced speed willbeclearlyposted within the workzone. If thereare noreduced speed limitsposted, driversshould obeythenormal postedspeedlimit. Rememberthoughtobepreparedforthe unexpectedwhen traveling through workzones. InArkansas, finesfor all moving trafficviolations occurring in a highway workzone are doubled if workers are present andwarning signsare present in advance of thework zone. TrafficControls Traffic controls include trafficsignals,trafficsigns,andpavement markings. Traffic controlalso canbeprovidedbylawenforcement,highway personnel,orschool crossing guards. You must obeydirections fromtheseindividuals. 13 LightedTrafficSignals Traffic signallightsare designed to indicate to a driverwhen andwhereto stopand when toproceed. Thesignals aretypically placed atintersections orother roadway locations wherethereis a largevolume of trafficorhighincidents of trafficcrashes. Whilethemost common form of trafficsignallightis constructed with threedifferentcolorlenses(red, yellowandgreen),adrivermay encounter intersections withasingle lightandlensof a particular color. Agreenlightindicatesyoumay proceed if thereis noopposing traffic. A yellowlightindicates caution anda redlightis anindication tostop. At some locations a drivermayencounter a smallbutvery bright strobe lightwithin thecenterof theredlight.Suchdevicesare designed to drawtheattention of thedriver totheredlightandstop.Oncethelightchanges togreenandthereis noopposing traffica drivermaycontinue through theintersection. Approaching a controlled intersection withintentions toturn rightwill require the drivertocometoa stopif thetrafficsignalis red.However, oncethedriverhascome toa complete stopandthereis noopposing traffictointerfere withtherightturn, the drivermayproceed withtheturn. It is important during suchturns tobecautious of pedestrians crossing infront of thevehicle. A flashing redtrafficlightindicates thesameas a stopsign.A drivermust cometo a complete stop,then proceed onlywhen it is safe. A lighted redarrowindicates a drivermust stopandis prohibited fromturning in thesamedirection indicated bythearrow. Thedrivermayproceed however oncethe arrowlightchanges togreen. A continuous yellowtrafficlightindicates thetrafficsignalis about tochange. The driverof a vehiclemust stopif sucha stopcanbe executed safelywithout blocking the intersection.However if thedriveriswithin theintersection when theyellowlight changes, thedrivermust notstop,butproceed through theintersection. A flashing yellowtrafficsignallightindicates toproceed withcaution. A yellowlighted arrow indicates thesignalis about to change andif thedriveris about to turn in thedirection of thearrow, preparation should bemade tostop. 14 A steadygreentrafficlightindicates a drivermayproceed through anintersection if thereis noopposing traffic.If a driveris stopped at a controlled intersection andthe signallightchanges colorto green,thedrivermust allowopposing trafficalready in the intersection tocleartheintersection before proceeding. A greenlighted arrow isan indication a drivermayturn inthedirection of thearrow. Unlessa trafficsignis posted toprohibit turns ina particular direction through an intersection, a drivermayturn leftfroma one-way streetonto another one-way street when a trafficsignallightindicates red,however theturn canonlybe initiated afterthe driverhascometoacompletestopandyieldstoanyopposingtrafficwithinthe intersection. Always remember thatArkansaslaws require driversto yieldto emergency vehicles. Lawenforcement,fire, or ambulancevehicles that may be movingthroughan intersection withemergency lightsandsirenswill havetherightof way andyoumust yieldtothistraffic. TrafficSigns Trafficsignsindicatetrafficrules,hazards,location,traveldirections,andwhere servicesare located. The shape andcolorof thesesignsprovide anindication of thetype of information thatwill beindicated by thesign. Stop Signs A stopsign is redwithwhitelettersandhaseightsides.It means a driver mustcome toacompletestop. Thedriver mustwaituntilcrossing vehicles and pedestrians havecleared theintersection. Also theremaybe a linepainted onthestreet orroadway attheintersection nexttoastopsignindicating wherethevehiclemust stop. Ifnecessary,adriver may pull forwardtothestop signortheedgeofthe intersection, then proceed onlywhen it is safetodoso. SpeedLimitSignsThesesignsindicate themaximum orminimum safespeed that is allowed for a particular section of highway, road or street.Always remember thatthe maximumspeed limits areforidealconditions and adrivermust reduce speed as conditions dictate suchas when theroadway is slippery or visibilitybecomes obscured. Somehighspeed roads haveminimum speed limits.If a minimum speed is toofast fora particular driverortheirvehicle,another route should beused. YieldSignsA yieldsignis a triangle shaped signpointing downward. It is redand whitewithredletters.It means thedrivermust slowandyieldtheright-of-way to traffic intheintersection thedrivermaybecrossing orroadway thedriveris entering. Court imposed finesforfailure toyieldchargescanamount upto$1,000 andsuspension of theviolators driverlicenseforupto180days. DoNotEnterSignsA square signwithawhitehorizontal lineinside aredball means thevehiclecannot enter.The driverwill see suchsignsat roadway openings to one-waystreets,exitramps,incrossoversondividedroadways,andatnumerous locations onone-way streets. 15 Slow MovingVehicle Signs A reflectiveorange triangle ontherearof a vehiclemeans thevehicleistraveling lessthan 25milesperhour. A driver mayseethissignon construction equipment orinruralareasonfarmvehicles,oronhorse drawn wagons orcarriages. DestinationSignsThesesignsaresquare orrectangular shaped, andaregreenor brown with white lettering.Thesignsindicatedirectionsand distancetovarious locations suchas cities,airports, stateborders, or to specialareassuchas national parks, historical areas,ormuseums. Service SignsThesesignsaresquare or rectangular shaped, andare bluewithwhite lettersor symbols. The signsindicate thelocation of various servicessuchas rest areas, gas stations, campgrounds, orhospitals. RouteSignsThe shape of route signsindicates thetypeof roadway: Interstate, U.S., stateorcounty. When planning atrip,useahighway map todetermine yourroute. During thetrip,followtheroute signs. RailroadCrossingWarning SignsManyrailroad crossings havesignsorsignalsto warndrivers. You should nevertrytocrossarailcrossings inanattempt tobeatan oncoming trainandneverstarttocrossuntil thereis enough distance for yourvehicle on the oppositeside of the track. Ifyour vehicle isequippedwith amanual transmission, itiswisenottoshiftgearswhen crossing railroadtrackstoavoid the possibility of anengine stall.Somecommon railroad crossing warning signsandsignals areillustrated below. A round yellowsignwithan X symbol andblackRR letters (topright)placedalongthe roadwaymaybeyourfirst warning thatyouareabout toapproach arailroad crossing. AwhiteX-shapedsignor crossbuckislocatedatthe railroad crossing. This sign hasthe samemeaning as a Yield sign. Postedatsomerailroad crossings,alongwith the cross bucksign,a driverwill see parallel lightsthatflashalternately. Gatesthatlowerasatrain approaches arealsocommon at somecrossingsalongwitha warningbell.Signsmayalso indicateanumberoftracksets within a railroad crossing zone. 16 WarningSignsThesesignsare yellowwithblacklettering or symbols andmost are diamond shaped. Thesesignswarna driverto slowandbe prepared to stopif necessary, or provide information about a specialsituation or a hazard thatmaybe along theroad ahead. Somecommon warning signsareshown below. IntersectionTraffic SignalMerging Traffic Two-WayTrafficLane EndsSchool Zone Pedestrian CrossingSchool CrossingDivided Highway Slippery When WetBridge ClearanceIncline or Hill Therearesignsonawhitesquare orrectangular withblackand/or redlettersor symbols. Thesesignsprovide information about rulesfortrafficdirection, laneuse, turning, parking, andother specialinstructions. Someofthesignshavearedcircle witharedslashoveraparticular symbol. Theseregulation signsindicate adriveris prohibited from executing aparticular maneuversuchasaturn toward aparticular direction ornou-turn. Common typesofregulation signsare: 17 WorkArea SignsThesesignsare typicallydiamond shaped, orange withblackletters or symbols, andwarna driverthatworkers maybe along sideor ontheroadway. These warnings include reduced speed, detours, slowmoving construction equipment, and poor orsuddenly changing road surfaces.Inworkareas,trafficmaybecontrolled by a person witha signorflag,known as a flagger. Somecommonly usedworkareasignsareshown below: Used at locations along a roadway where a flagger may be stationed to control traffic. Mowingequipment maybe inoperation on or nextto the highway. Warningto drivers of an approaching alternate route of travel through a construction zone. Warningto drivers thatfinesassociated withviolations are doubled if the violation occurs withina constructionzone. Workis underway along the drivers route of travel. Be prepared for road obstructions or restrictions. Used to warndrivers of work along multi-laneroadways andonlyonelaneis open to traffic Warningoftwo-way trafficalongasingle lane roadway. Constructionwork mayhavecaused a differenceinthe elevationof parallel traffic lanes. LaneControlSignsThesesignsindicate wherea drivercangoandwherea driver canturn andoften use anarrowas a symbol. The signsare along theroad or positioned overtheroadway. It is notunusual for theseindicators to be painted onto theroadway. Passing Signs Thesesignsindicate whereit is safe to passanother vehicleandwhere adrivermaynotpass.Thesignsindicate where adrivercanpass,orthebeginning andending ofapassing zone, orwhere thedriver maynotpass.Where passing is permitted, a drivermaydosoonlyif it is safe. 18 Pavement Markings Lines andsymbols marked ontheroadway dividelanes, indicate to a driverwhen it is safe to pass other vehiclesor change lanes,which lanesto use for turns, wherea drivermust stop for signs or traffic signals,anddefine pedestrian walkways. Fog Line andLaneLines A solidwhitelinealong thesideof theroadway is a point of reference forthedrivertoindicate wheretheouter edgeoftheroad is located. Lines separating lanesof trafficmoving inthesamedirection arewhite.Linesseparating lanes of trafficmoving in opposite directions areyellow. WhiteLaneMarkingsA dashed whitelinebetween lanesoftrafficindicates a driver maycrossthelinetochange lanes,butonlyif it is safe.A solidwhitelinebetween lanes of trafficmeans thata drivershould stay within thelane. Crosswalks andStopLinesWhen required tostopbecause of a signorsignal,a driver must stopbefore thevehiclereaches thestopline,or if thereis one,a crosswalk. Crosswalks definethearea where pedestrians aretocrosstheroadway.A driver must yieldto pedestrians inorabout toentera crosswalk. Notallcrosswalks aremarked. Be alertfor pedestrians when crossing intersections thatdonothavedefined crosswalks. YellowLaneMarkingsA broken yellow linebetween opposing lanesof traffic indicate a drivermaycrosstopassif thereis noopposing traffic.If there isasolidand broken linebetween opposing lanes,a driver maypassif thereis noopposing traffic.Two solidlinesbetween opposing lanesof traffic indicate neither lanesoftrafficmaypass.A drivermaycrossa solidyellowlinetoturn intoa driveway if thereis noopposing traffic approaching theplanned turn site. SharedCenterLane-Shared centerlanesarereservedfor making leftturns andcanbe usedbyvehiclestravelingin eitherdirection. Markedon thepavement, leftturn arrows fortrafficinonedirection alternate withleftturn arrows for traffic approachingfrom theopposing direction. 19 Theselanesaremarked oneachsidebysolid yellowanddashed yellowlines.In Arkansasit is permissible fora vehiclemaking a leftturn fromanintersecting streetor driveway to utilizea centerleft turn laneas partof themaneuver to gainaccess or merge intotrafficlanes,exceptthatit is notpermissible tousethecenterleftturn laneasan acceleration lane. UnmarkedLanes When thereare nosigns or markings to control theuse of lanes,there are rulesthatindicate which laneis to be used.Theserulescovergeneral driving, passing, andturning. GeneralDrivingNeverbacka vehicleinanytravellane.It is illegalandunsafe todo so.If a turn or exit is missed, donotbackup;proceed to a safe turn around area. Neverstopintravellanesforanyreason (e.g.confusion, breakdown, letting outa passenger). Keep moving until youcansafelypulloff theroad. Ona road withthreeor more lanestraveling in thesamedirection, remain in theright laneexceptto pass.If thereis considerable merging traffic,then use thecentertravellane. Unlessdirected to doso by a policeofficerneverdriveontheshoulder of theroad. Passing Onmulti-lane roads, theleft-most laneis intended to be usedto passslower vehicles.Neverpassontheshoulder, whether it is paved ornot.Other driverswill never expectyouto be thereandmaypulloff theroad without looking. TurningWhere there are nosignsorlanemarkings to controlturning,adriver shouldturnfrom the lane thatis closestto thedirection oftravel and turninto the laneclosesttothelanefrom whichtheturnisinitiated. When making turns, gofrom onelanetotheotheras directlyaspossiblewithout crossinglanelinesor interfering withtraffic.Once a turn hasbeen completed, a change of lanescanbegin. 20 RightturnsOnrightturns, avoida swinging wideturn totheleft before initiating theturn.Swinging wideturns maycause thedriver behind youtothink youare changing lanesorgoingtoturn left andmaytry to passyouontheright.If youswing wideasyoucomplete theturn, driverswhoareinthefarlanewillnotexpecttosee youthere. LeftTurnsWhen making a leftturn, avoidcutting thecorner sosharply thatyou runintoanother vehicleapproaching fromtheleft. However, youmust leaveroom for oncoming vehiclestoturn left infront of you. Right-Of-Way Wherevehiclesor pedestrians are likely to converge, andthereare nosigns or signalsto regulate traffic, thereare rulesthatindicate which vehiclemust yield the right-of-way. These rulesindicate which vehiclegoesfirstandwhich vehiclemust waitindifferent traffic situations. The law indicates which vehiclemust yieldtheright-of-way; it doesnotgive anyone the right-of-way. A drivermust doeverything possible to prevent striking a pedestrian or another vehicle,regardless of thecircumstances. 21 Intersections The following right-of-way rulesapplyat intersections: Driversmust yield wherenecessary to avoidstriking pedestrians whoare legally crossing theroad. Drivers crossingasidewalk whenenteringorexiting adriveway,alley,or parking lotmust yieldtopedestrians. It is illegaltodriveona sidewalk except to crossit. Pedestriansusing aguide dog or carrying awhite cane have absolute right-of-way. Donotuseyourhorn asitcould confuse orfrighten ablind pedestrian. Driversturning left must yieldto oncoming cars traveling straight-ahead. Driversentering a traffic circle or rotarymust yield to driversalready in thecircle. At an intersection wherethereis nostopsign or traffic signal,driversmust yield to vehiclesapproaching fromtheright. At a 4-waystop,thedriverreaching theintersection firstgetstogo first(after coming to a complete stop). Driversentering a road froma driveway, alley or roadside must yield to vehicles already onthemain road. Driversmaynotenteranintersection unless theycangetthrough it without having to stop.You should wait until traffic clears,so thatyouare notblocking theintersection. Passing Driverspassing a vehicletraveling in thesamedirection must yieldto thatvehicle,even if thevehicleis slowing or coming to a stop,because thevehiclemaybe about to turn left or maybe approaching a hazard theovertaking driverdoesnotsee. EmergencyVehicles A driver must yieldtherightofwaytoapolice vehicle, firedepartment vehicle, ambulance, orotheremergency vehicleusingasirenorairhorn, andaredorblue flashing light.Driversshould pullovertotherightedgeof theroad, oras neartothe rightaspossible, when youseeorhearanemergency vehicleapproaching fromany direction. Followanyinstructions givenovertheemergency vehiclesloudspeaker.If youareinanintersection, drivethrough theintersection before pulling over. Arkansaslawrequires thatanymotor vehicleoperator ona multilane highway must movewhenever safely possible to thefarthest laneaway fromthelaw enforcement vehiclethat is stopped andhasemergency lighting turned-on.Thislawis designed tohelpprotect policeofficersandindividuals whomaybe thesubject of a traffic stopfrombeinginjured bytrafficmoving dangerously closetotheedgeofthehighway wherethetrafficstopis occurring. Violators of thislaw maybe finedandhavetheirdriverlicensesuspended. 22 SchoolBuses When approachingaschool busthatisstoppedandred warninglightsonthebusare activated,allapproaching vehiclesarerequired toalsostop. Regardlessof where the driver maybeinrelationtothebus, whetheritsinthesamelaneof traffic,opposinglaneoratan intersection, trafficmust cometo acomplete stopuntil theschool busturns-offthewarninglights andbegins tomove. Drivers are notrequired tostopif theschool busisapproachingalongan opposite laneoftravelseparated byamedian twenty feetormore inwidth. Itisafelony tonegligently causethedeath ofaperson whilepassing astopped school busthatis loading orunloading school children. Always exerciseextreme caution at a school busstop,evenas thebusmaybe leaving thestop,children maystillbecrossing thestreetorroadway. Parking Driversareresponsible formaking certain theirvehicledoesnotbecome a hazard afterit hasbeen parked. Whenever a driverparksa carit should beina placethatis (1)far enough fromthestreetorhighway to avoidinterfering withtrafficand(2)visible to cars approaching fromeither direction. If possible, alwaysparkin a designated area. Alwayssettheparking brake. Leavethevehicleingearif ithasamanual transmission or in parkif it hasanautomatic transmission. Checktrafficbefore youopen thedoor. If possible, get outof thevehicleon thecurbsideif youcan.If youhavetousethestreetside,checktrafficbefore exiting.Shutthedoor as soon as youcanaftergettingout. Neverleavetheignition keysina parked car.Lockthedoors whenever you leaveyourvehicle. If youmust parkona roadway, parkyourvehicleas farawayfromtrafficas possible. If thereis a curb,parkas closeto thecurbas possible. When parking ona hill,turn thewheels sharply awayfromtraffictoprevent thecar frompossible rolling intotraffic. No-ParkingZones Therearemany areaswhereparking is restricted. Checkanysignsthatmayprohibit or limitparking. Someparking restrictions are indicated by colored curbmarkings. Do notpark: 23 In anintersection Ona crosswalk orsidewalk In a construction areaif yourvehiclewould blocktraffic Within twentyfeet of a crosswalk at anintersection Within thirtyfeet of a trafficsignal,stopsign,oryieldsign Within thirtyfeet of a pedestrian safetyzone Within fifteenfeet of a fire hydrant Within fifty feet of a railroad crossing Morethan eighteen inches fromthecurb Within twentyfeet of a fire station driveway onthesamesideof thestreet,or within seventy-five feetofa firestation driveway ontheopposite sideofthe streetwhereproper signsareposted Blocking adriveway,alley,private road,orarea ofthe curb removed or lowered for accessto thesidewalk Ona bridge oroverpass, or in a tunnel orunderpass Alonga laneof opposing traffic Inaspacemarkedforthehandicapped,unlessyou haveanauthorized handicapped licenseplate,tag, or stickerissuedby theArkansasDepartment of Finance andAdministration Alongthestreetorhighway nexttoanother parked vehicle(double parking) Onrailroad tracks Wherever a signindicates youmaynotpark Other parking restrictions areindicated by curbspainted: Red indicating fire zone Yellow indicating a loading zone orother restriction AR Governors Commission onPeople withDisabilities April2007 Handicap parking is referred topolitically andlegislatively asAccessibleParking. These parking spacesarenotspecialplacesforconvenience, butinfact,createequal accessfor persons with amobilitydisability orotherdisabilities asdefined understate laws. Accessibleparking spacesare created to enable individuals withdisabilities to accomplish thesame taskasotherindividuals areable toaccomplish.Many peoplehave the misconception thataccessible spacesaredesigned fora matter ofconvenience. This is a misconception; accessible parking spacescreateequalaccess; thusallowing theindividual withthedisability thesameopportunity as all people. To parkinanaccessible parking spacea person must either havetheappropriate license platewiththeinternational symbol or thehangtag, referred to legislatively as theSpecial Certificate. Theassigned speciallicenseplateis granted totheregistered owner ofsaid vehicle;whereby theSpecialCertificate is registered totheindividual withthedisability andis transferable to other vehiclesas longas theowner of thespecialcertificate is in the saidvehicle.When anindividual witha disability obtains thespecialcertificate or special licenseplate,aphoto identification cardmust bepurchased for$5.00; thiscardwill correspond withtheissuedspecialcertificate numberora person witha disability may choose to havethespecialcertificate numberendorsed onthebackof theirdriverslicense 24 orstateI.D.cardforverification ofownership. Further, inboth instances theindividual withthedisability must: a)Be present in thevehiclewhen parking in anaccessible parking space. b)The specialcertificate is tobedisplayed hanging fromtherearviewmirror or thedashboard. c)Theregistered owner ofthespecial certificate orvehiclewithappropriate licenseplatemust exit thevehiclewhen utilizing a designated space. d) Theissued orendorsed photo identification cardmust bepresentonthe person at all timeswhen utilizing anaccessible parking space. Anyone illegallyutilizing anotherindividuals specialcertificate is committing fraud, and isguiltyofaClassA misdemeanoraccording to27-15-305 oftheArkansas Code. Penalties include, butarenotlimited to,forthefirstoffense is $100.00 to$500.00. The second offense is $250.00 up to $1,000.00, plussix months suspended driverslicense, and the offender is liableforalltowing, impoundment,attorney fees,courtcosts,andother related fees. When moving outof stateor afterthedeath of theperson whom thespecial certificate orplatewasissued, theitemsmust bereturned totheDepartment ofMotor Vehicles,SpecialDivision within 30daysof occurrence. SAFE DRIVINGTIPS Nodrivermanual canteachyouhowtooperate a vehicleorbea safe driver.Driving requires skill onlygained through instruction andpractice. Operating theMotor Vehicle StartingtheVehicleEngineCheckthevehicleowners manual forthebeststarting procedures foryourparticular vehicle.Theprocedures differdepending onwhether or notthevehiclehaselectronic ignition andthetype of transmission. Makesuretheparking brakeis set before starting thevehicle. If thevehiclehasa manual transmission, it must notbe in gear,andin some vehicles, youmust depress theclutch. For a vehiclethathasanautomatic transmission, youmust puttheshiftselector in park, otherwise thevehiclewill notstart. AccelerationAcceleratespeed ofthevehiclesmoothly andgradually. Tryingtostart toofast can causethedrivewheels to spin,particularly onslippery surfaces,andcausethe vehicletoslide.Witha vehicleequipped witha manual transmission, practice usingthe clutchandaccelerator sothattheengine doesnotoveraccelerate orstallwhen shifting between gears. SteeringtheVehicleUse a proper griponthesteering wheel.Hands should be placed onopposite sidesofthesteering wheel.Thisposition is comfortable andallowsyouto maketurns without takingyourhands off thewheel. 25 Scantheroad ahead, notjustattheroad infront ofyourvehicle.Lookfortraffic situations whereyouwillneed tochange direction before its toolate.Thisway,you havetimetosteersmoothly andsafely. Whenexecuting asharp turn, suchasaroundcorners ofanintersection, usethe hand-over-hand technique tocontrol thevehiclesteering wheel. Donotturn the wheelwiththepalm ofyourhand.When youcomplete aturn, return thesteering wheelto theappropriate position relativeto thedirection thevehicleshould be moving. MonitoringVehicleSpeedCheckthespeedometer often. You maybegoingmuch fasterthatyouthink. This is especially truewhen youleave highspeed roads andmove toroadways witha slowerposted speed. Obeyspeed limitsigns.Limitsonspeed aresetforyoursafety. StoppingBe alertsothatyouknow when youwillhavetostopwellbefore itis necessary. Stopping suddenlyis dangerous andusually points toa driverwhois not paying attention. When youbrake quickly, youcould skidandlosecontrol ofyour vehicle.You alsomakeit harder fordriversbehind youtoavoidhitting you. Try toavoidstopsbyscanning theroad ahead. By slowing orchanging lanes,you maynothavetostopat all,andif youdo,it canbea more gradual andsaferstop. Remaining Alertand Avoiding Distractions Mostof whatyoudoindriving depends onwhatyousee. To bea gooddriver,you need toseewell.Thesinglebiggestcontributor toaccidents is failingtoseewhatis about to happen. You must lookdown theroad, to thesidesandbehind yourvehicle, andbealertforunexpected events.At night andatother timeswhen its hard tosee, youmustuseyourheadlights.Inmanycrasheswithmotorcycles,bicycles,and pedestrians, driversreported theydidnotseetheother vehicle. Drivers must bealerttowhat isgoing onaroundthem. Manyaccidents occur because driversdonotpayenough attention. Dont takeyoureyesofftheroad for 26 more than a few seconds at anyonetime.Forexample, if youneed tolookat a map, pullsafelyoff theroad before looking at themap. If youhavea cellular phone or CB radio, avoidusingit when thevehicleis in motion. Evenwithhands freeequipment, conversing ona phone orradio takesyourattention awayfromdriving andcancauseyouto be less likelytonotice hazardous situations. Donotrubberneck (slowyourvehicleorbecome distracted) at crashscenesor at locations along thehighway wherea law enforcement officermayhavea vehiclepulled off theroad. Rubbernecking could causeyouto become involved in a crash.If youtake youreyesofftheroad tolookatsomething, youcould runintoa vehicleahead that hasslowed orstopped. Rubbernecking alsocanincrease congestion. When youpass theseroadside activities, keepyoureyesontheroad. To bea gooddriver,youmust know whatis happening around yourvehicle.You must look ahead, tothesides,and behind thevehicle. Scanning helps youtosee problems ahead, vehiclesandpeople thatmaybeintheroad bythetimeyoureach them, signswarning of problems ahead, andsignsgivingyoudirections. LookingAheadInorder to avoidlast-minute braking ortheneedtoturn,you should lookdown theroad at leastonecity blockin the cityoronequarter mileon highwaysandinterstates. Thatwillbeaboutfifteen secondsaheadofyour vehicle.Bylookingwell aheadand being ready to stop orchangelanes, you candrivemore safely,save onfuel,helpkeeptraffic movingat a steady pace, andallowyourselftimeto betterseearoundyour vehicleandalong thesideof theroad. Hereis howto figure if you are looking fifteenseconds ahead: 1. Findastationary objectsuchasasignortelephone poleneartheroadaboutasfar aheadasyouarelooking. 2. Startcounting:one-one-thousand, two-one-thousand, three-one-thousand, etc.,untilyou reachtheobject. 3. Thenumber ofsecondsyouhavecountedis thenumber ofsecondsaheadthatyouwere looking. 27 By scanning theroad ahead, youcansave fuel.Every timeyouhaveto stopquickly, it takestimeandfueltoget yourcar backuptospeed. Makingdriving changes before thelastsecond givesdriversbehind youmore timetoreact.By anticipating driving changes, youcandrivemore safelyandthathelps driversbehind youdrivemore safely. Lookingto theSides As other vehiclesorpedestrians maycrossorenteryourpath atanytime, youshould look tothesidestomake surenooneiscoming. Thisis especially trueat intersections andrailroad crossings. IntersectionsIntersections areplaceswheretrafficmerges orcrosses.Theseareas include:crossstreets, sidestreets, driveways,and shoppingcenter orparkinglot entrances. Beforeentering anintersection, lookboth leftandrightforapproaching vehiclesand/orcrossing pedestrians. If stopped, lookboth left andrightbefore youstart moving. Lookacrosstheintersection before youbegintomove,making surethepath is clearthrough theintersection. Beforeturning leftacrosstraffic,lookfora safegapintheoncoming traffic.Look tothestreetyouareturning intotomakesurethatnovehiclesorpedestrians arein yourpath thatmayleaveyoustranded inthepath of oncoming traffic.Looka second timeinthedirection of oncoming trafficbefore finallymaking yourturn. Beforeturning right,makesurethatthereis notrafficapproaching fromyourleft andnooncoming trafficturning leftintoyourpath. Donotbeginyourturn without checking for pedestrians crossing whereyouwill be turning. You mayturn rightonred, unless prohibited, afterstopping. Neverassume anintersection orcross-walk isclear.Therearedrivers whomay become distracted orpedestrians whoarenotpayingattention tothetrafficcontrols whowill crossyourpath at thesametimeyoumaybe entering theintersection. Always stoptolookleft,then right,evenif other trafficis suppose tostopfora stopsignor redlight.This ruleis particularly important inthefirstseconds aftera trafficlighthas switched togreen. Itisthen that pedestrians maytrytoquickly crossyourpath or another vehiclemaytrytobeatthelightina deadly attempt toget through before opposing trafficenters theintersection. Makesureyoucanclearlyseecrossing trafficbefore entering anintersection. If stopped atanintersection and yourviewofacrossstreetisblocked, edgeforward slowlyuntil youcansee.By moving forward slowly,crossing driverscansee thefront of yourvehiclebefore youcanseetheapproachingvehicle. Whenever thereis activityalong sidetheroad, thereis a goodchance someone will crossorentertheroad. Therefore, it is veryimportant tolooktothesideswhen you arenearshoppingcentersandparkinglots,constructionareas,busysidewalks, playgrounds, andschool yards. 28 RailroadCrossings As youapproach anyrailroad crossing, lookupanddown the trackto makesurea trainis notapproaching. Donotassume thata trainis notcoming evenifyouhaveneverseenoneataparticularcrossing before. Thatisoneofthe leading causesof accidents at railroad crossings. At crossings withmore than onetrack,waituntil a passing trainhascleared thearea before starting tocross.Another train could becoming, onethatmight havebeen hidden by theonethatjustpassed. LookingBehindAlongwithwatching trafficahead ofyourroute, youmust check trafficbehind you.It is necessary tocheckyourrearviewandsideviewmirrors more often when trafficisheavy.Thisistheonlywayyouwillknow if another vehicleis following toocloselyorcoming uptoofastandit will give youtimetodosomething about it. It is very important to lookbehind for vehicleswhen youchange lanes,slow, backup,oraredriving along a steepincline. ChangingLanes Whenever changing lanes,youmust checkto be certain novehicles are in thelaneyouwantto enter.This means youmust checkfor trafficto thesideand behind yourvehiclebefore changing lanes. Changing lanes includes changing from onelaneto another, merging onto a roadway fromanentrance ramp, andentering the roadway fromthecurborshoulder. When changing lanes,youshould: Lookinyourrear-view andsidemirrors. Makesuretherearenovehiclesin thelaneyouwanttoenter.Makesurethatnobody is about topassyou. Lookoveryourshoulder in thedirection youplan to move.Be surenoone is neartherearcorners of yourvehicle.Theseareasarecalledblind spots because youcannot seetheareathrough yourmirrors. Youhavetoturn yourhead andlook. Checkquickly. Dont takeyoureyesofftheroad ahead formore than an instant. Traffic ahead could stopsuddenly whileyourechecking traffic to the sides,rear,oroveryourshoulder. Also,useyourmirrors tochecktraffic whileyouarepreparing tochange lanes,merge,orpullonto theroadway. Checkoveryourshoulder justbefore youchange lanesfortrafficinyour 29 blind spot.You must keeptrackof whattrafficis doing infront of youand inthelaneyouareentering. Be certain tochecktheother parallel lanesoftravel,another driver maybeplanning tomoveintothesamelaneyouwanttoenter. Remember thatthereare other road userssuchas motorcycles, bicycles,and pedestrians thataremore difficult tosee than carsandtrucks.Be especially alertwhen youareentering theroadway fromthecurbordriveway. SlowingYoumust checkbehind yourvehiclewhenever youslow.Thisisvery importantwhen youslowquickly oratpoints where afollowing driverwould not expectyoutoslow,suchas private driveways orparking lots. Backing As a driverit is difficult to get a clearview of all areasbehind yourvehicle. Try todoas littlebacking as possible. Ina shopping center, try tofinda parking space youcandrivethrough, sothatyoucandriveforward when youleave.Herearesome hints thatwillhelpyoubackyourvehiclesafely: Checkbehind yourvehicle before yougetin.Children orsmall objects cannot beseenfromthedriversseat. Placeyourrightarmonthebackoftheseatandturn around sothatyou canlookdirectlythrough therearwindow. Donotdepend onyourrearview orsidemirrors as youcannot seedirectlybehind yourvehicle. Back slowly;yourvehicleis much harder tosteerwhileyouarebacking. Whenever possible usea person outside thevehicletohelpyouback. MovingAlong Steep Inclines Checktrafficthrough yourmirrors when youare going down hillsormountains. Vehiclesoften build upspeed moving down a steepgrade. Be alertforlargetrucksandbusesthatmaybegoingtoofast. Seeand Be Seen Accidentsoften happen because onedriverdoesnotsee another driver,or when one driverdoessomething theother driverdoesnotexpect.It is important thatdriverslet other road usersknow theyarethere, andwhattheyplan todo. Somedriversdonotalwayspayattention towhatis goingonaround them. Itis important thatother road usersknow thatyouarethere. ExternalVehicle Lights Alongwithhelping youto see at night, headlights helpother people see you.If needed, flick yourheadlights toalertother road usersyouarethere. Remember to turn onyourheadlights whenever youhavetrouble seeingothers. If you havetrouble seeingthem, theyarehaving trouble seeingyou. Onrainy,snowy,or foggy days,it is sometimes hard for other driversto see yourvehicle. Inthese conditions,headlights make yourvehicleeasierto see.Remember, if youturn onyourwipers, turn onyourheadlights. This is thelawonArkansas streetsandroadways. 30 Turnonyourheadlights a 1/2hour aftersunset, a 1/2hour before sunrise oranytime youcannot seea person orobjectclearlywithin 500feet. If lightsarenecessary whiledriving, useyourheadlights. Parking lightsare forparked carsonly, and itisillegalinArkansas todrivewithparking lightsonly. When driving awayfromarisingorsettingsun,turn onyourheadlights. Drivers coming toward youmayhavetrouble seeingyourvehicle. Your headlights willhelpthem seeyou. Herearesome other driving tipsthatcanhelpyouseeandbeseen: Use yourhighbeams whenever thereare nooncoming vehicles.Highbeams let youseetwiceas far as lowbeams. It is important tousehighbeams on unfamiliar roads, in construction areas,or wheretheremaybe people along thesideof theroad. Dimyourhighbeams whenever youcomewithin 500feet of anoncoming car.Also,useyourlowbeams when following another vehiclecloserthan 200feet. Use thelowbeams in fog, or when it is snowing or raining. Light fromhigh beams willreflectback,causing glare,and make itmoredifficult tosee ahead. Somevehicleshavefog lightsthatmaybebetter suited under these conditions. Neverdriveatanytimewithonlyyourparking lightsturned on.Parking lightsareforparking only. If avehiclecomes toward youwithhighbeams on,flashyourheadlights quicklya couple oftimes.If thedriverfailstodimthelights,looktoward therightsideoftheroad. Thiswillkeepyoufrom being blinded bythe other vehiclesheadlights. Youshould alsobeabletoseeenough ofthe edgeoftheroad toremain oncourse. Donottrytogetbackatother driverby keeping yourheadlights turned to thehigh-beam setting.If youdo, both of youmaybeblinded. Warning Horn Your horn canget theattention of another driver.Useit whenever itwillhelpprevent anaccident. If there isnoimmediate danger, alighttaponthe horn should beallyouneed. Sound yourvehiclehorn when: A person onfootor ona bikeappears to be moving intoyourlaneof travel. You arepassing a driverwhostartstoturn intoyourlane. Thereis a driverwhois notpayingattention or whomayhavetrouble seeing you. Approaching a location whereyoucannot see whatis ahead, suchas a steep hill,a sharp curve,orexitinga narrow alley. If thereis danger, donotbeafraid tosound a sharp blastonyourhorn. Dothis: When a childorolder person is about towalk,run,orrideintothestreet. When another caris indanger of hitting you. 31 Whenyou have lost controlofyour vehicle and are movingtoward someone. Thereareseveraloccasions when youshould notuseyourhorn: To encourage someone todrivefasterorget outof theway To apprise other driversof anerror To greeta friend Nearblind pedestrians EmergencySignalsIf yourvehiclebreaks down onthehighway, makesurethat other driverscanseeit. All toooften highway crashes occurbecause a driverdidnot seea stalled vehicleuntil it wastoolatetostop. If available, usea two-way radio or telephone to notifyauthorities thatyourvehicle oranotherhas brokendown. Manyroadwayshave signsthat indicatewhichCB channel to useor telephone number to call in anemergency. If youare having vehicle trouble andhavetostop: If at allpossible, get yourvehicleoff theroad awayfromtraffic. Useyouremergency flashers towarn other drivers ofthepresence ofa vehicle traffichazard requiring unusualcareinapproaching, overtaking orpassing. Ifyoucannot getyourvehicle offtheroadway, trytostop where other drivershavea clearview of yourvehicle.Donotstopjustovera hillor just around a curve. Try towarn other road usersthatyourvehicleisthere. Placeemergency flares behindthe vehicle. This allows otherdrivers to changelanes if necessary. If youdonothaveemergency flaresorother warning devices,stand by the sideoftheroad, whereyouaresafeandwavetrafficawayoraround your vehicle.Usinga whitecloth,if oneis available. Neverstand intheroadway. Dont eventry tochange a tireif it means you havetobeina trafficlane. 32 Lift thehood, or tie a whiteclothto theantenna, sidemirror, or door handle tosignalanemergency. BlindSpotsDriveyourvehiclewhereothers canseeyou.Dont driveinanother vehiclesblind spot. Avoiddriving oneither sideandslightlyto therearof another vehicle.Either speed upordrop backsotheother drivercansee yourvehiclemore easily. When passing anothercar,getthrough theother drivers blind spot as quicklyas youcan. Neverstayalongside alargevehiclesuchasatruckorbus.Thesevehicles havelargeblind spotsandit is hard fordriverstoseeyou. Let Other Drivers KnowYour Intentions You must warnother driversyouare goingto change direction or slow.This will give them timetoreact,if needed, orat leastnottobesurprised by whatyoudo. Signalingto ChangeDirections It gives other driverstimeto reactto yourmoves. You should useyourturn signals before youchange lanes,turn rightorleft,mergeinto traffic,orpark. Get intothehabit of signaling every timeyouchange direction. Signaleven when youdonotseeanyone elsearound. It is easytomisssomeone who needs toknow whatyouaredoing. Signalasearlyaspossible. Try tosignalatleast100feetbefore youmake a change. Be carefulthatyoudonotsignaltooearly.If therearestreets,driveways, or entrances between youandwhere youwanttoturn, waituntil youhave passed tosignal. If another vehicleis about to enterthestreetbetween youandwhereyouplan toturn, waituntil youhavepassed it tosignalyourturn. If yousignalearlier, other driversmaythink youplan toturn wheretheyareandproceed into yourpath. After youhavemade a turn or lanechange, makesureyourturn signalis off. SignalingtoSlowYourbrake lightsletpeople know thatyouareslowing down. Alwaysslowas earlyasit is safetodoso.If youaregoingtostoporslowata place whereanother driverdoesnotexpectit, tapyourbrakepedal threeor fourtimesquickly toletthose behind youknowyouareabout toslow.Signalwhen youslow: Toturn offaroadway thatdoesnothaveadedicated exitordeceleration lane. To parkorturn justbefore anintersection. Following trafficexpectsyouto continue totheintersection. To reduce speed intrafficfora hazard intheroad thata driverbehind you cannot see. 33 Adjusting theVehicleSpeed The fasteryourvehicleis going,themore distance it will taketo turn, slow,orstop. For example, stopping at 60mph doesnottaketwicethedistance it takesat 30mph, as onemight think, butoverthreetimesthedistance. Driving safelymeans adjusting yourspeed to road andtrafficconditions andhowwell youcansee, andobeying speed limits. AdjustingtoRoadConditions Therearevarious roadconditionswhich make it necessary to driveslowly.You must slowbefore a curve,when theroadway is slippery, andwhen thereis standing waterontheroad. Theonly contactyour vehicle haswith the road isthrough thetiresand itis important toalwaysknow thecondition ofthetiresonyourvehicle.Tiresthatmay havesome degreeof deteriorating treadcombined withwet or icy road conditions are both goodreasons toreduce thespeed below theposted speed limit. Manydriversdonotpayenough attention tothecondition of theirvehicletiresor to thecondition of theroadway. It is important thatthetiresbe in goodcondition and properly inflated. See thevehicleowners manual forcorrectairpressures. You donothaveasmuch traction ongravelanddirtroads asyoudoonconcrete andasphaltroads. When driving ongravelordirt,youmust slow.Itwilltakeyou much longer tostopandit is easiertoskidwhen turning. Curves A vehiclecantravelmuch fasterina straight linethan it canina curve.If yougo toofast, then thetireswill notbe ableto grip theroad, andthevehiclewill skid. Always slowbefore youenterthecurveso youdont haveto brakein thecurve.Braking ina curvecancausethevehicletoskid. Slippery RoadsDecrease yourspeed atthefirstsignofrain,snow, orsleet.These weather elements maketheroadway slippery. When theroad is slippery, thevehicles tiresdonotgripas wellas ona dryroad. Howslowlyshould yougo? Ona wetroad youshould reduce yourspeed about 10mph. Onpacked snowyoushould cutyour speed inhalf.Usesnowtiresorchains when theroad is covered withsnow. Onice, youmust slowtoa crawl.It is very dangerous todriveonice. If at allpossible, donotdrivewhen theroads areicy. Insome areaswherethereis alotoficyweather, specialstudded tiresareallowed. Becausethesetirescancause road damage, inArkansas suchtiresareonlyallowed tobeusedduring theperiod fromNovember 15of eachyearuntil April15of thefollowing year.It is illegaltouse metal studdedtireswithstuds protrudingmore thanone-sixteenth inch from the surfaceof therubber tread. 34 Herearesome cluestohelpyouspotslippery conditions before its toolate: Oncoldandwetdays,icemaylingerinshady spots along theroadway. Theseareasarethefirsttofreezeandthelasttothaw. Overpasses andbridges canbecome some ofthefirstsections ofroadway to develop icy conditions. It is notunusual for bridges andoverpasses to be ice covered andthestretches ofroadway leading uptoandawayfromthe bridge or overpass to be clear.Unlike thehighway thatmayget natural heat fromtheground below it, thedesign of bridges andoverpasses leaveslittle toinsulate theroadbed and allows coldairunderneath thestructure to speed-up theprocess of developing ice along theroadbed surface. When highway iceisinitially forming, itcanbewet.Thismakes itmore slippery than attemperatures wellbelow freezing. If it startstorainona hotday,pavement canbeveryslippery forthefirst few minutes. Heatcausesoilintheasphalt tocometo thesurface.It makes theroad more slippery until theoilis washed off. WaterOvertheRoadway When it is raining or theroad is wet, most tireshavegood traction uptoabout 35mph. However, as youmovefaster,yourtireswill starttoride uponthewater,much likewaterskis.Thisis calledhydroplaning. Ina heavyrain, yourtirescanloseall traction withtheroad at around 50 mph. Bald or badlyworn tires will losetraction atmuch lowerspeed. Thebestwaytokeepfromhydroplaning is to driveslowerintherain,orwhen theroad is wet. If it feelslikeyourtireshavelosttraction withthesurfaceof theroad youshould: Ease yourfootoff thegas pedal. Keep thesteering wheelstraight. Onlytry to turn if its anemergency. If you must turn, doit slowly,oryouwillcauseyourvehicletoskid. Donottry tostoporturn until yourtiresaregripping theroad again. Adjusting totheFlowofTraffic Vehiclesmoving inthesamedirection atthesamespeed cannot hitoneanother. Crashes involving twoor more vehiclesoften happen when driversgo fasteror slower than other vehiclesusingthesameroadway. Keeping Pace If youare goingfasterthan other traffic,youwill haveto keeppassing. Eachtimeyoupassanother vehiclethereis a chance of a collision. The vehicleyouare passing maychange lanessuddenly, oronatwo-lane road, anoncoming carmay appear suddenly. Slowdown, andkeeppacewithother traffic.Speeding doesnotsave more than a few minutes anhour. Goingmuch slowerthan other vehiclestraveling inthesamedirection canbejust as badas speeding. It tends to maketrafficbehind youcollectintoa singleslowmoving 35 pocket of vehicles.If vehiclesareaccumulating behind you,pulloverandallowthem topass.You mayconsider driving fasterorusinganother road. MergingWithTraffic When youmergewithtraffic,trytoenteratthesamespeed thattrafficis moving. High-speed roadways generally haveramps togive youtimeto build upspeed. Usetheramp toreachthespeed of theother vehiclesbefore youpull onto theroad. Donotdrivetotheendof theramp andstop.This willnotleaveyou enough room to get upto thespeed of traffic.Also, driversbehind youwill notexpect youto stop.If theyare watching trafficonthemain road, youmaybe hitfromtherear. If youhaveto waitfor spaceto entertheroadway, slowdown ontheramp so youhave some room tospeed upbefore youhavetomerge. ExitingTrafficKeep upwiththespeed of traffic as longas youare onthemain road. If theroad youaretraveling hasexit ramps, donotslowdown until youhavemoved onto theexitramp. When youturn fromahighspeed, two-lane roadway, trynotto slowdown tooearlyif youhavetrafficfollowing you.Tapyourbrakes andreduce yourspeed quickly butsafely.Useyourturn signals toletother driversknow your intentions. Slow MovingTraffic Somevehiclesare notdesigned to maneuver at highway speeds or mayexperience mechanical problems thatforcethedriverto slowthevehicle.As you mayapproach thistypeoftraffic,giveyourself timetochange lanesorslowsafely. Slowingsuddenly cancausea trafficaccident. Watchforlargetrucksandsmall, underpowered carsonsteepgrades or when thesevehiclesareentering traffic.Theslowervehiclescanlosespeed onlongor steephillsandit takeslonger for thesevehiclesto get upto speed when entering traffic. Farmtractors, animal-drawnvehicles, androadway maintenancevehicles usually travel25mph orless.Thesevehicles should haveaslow-moving vehiclesign(anorange triangle) visiblefromtherear. TroubleSpotsBe prepared forsituations thatlimityourmaneuvering options. In locations wherepeople andtheirvehiclesareparked; thespaceyouhaveto maneuver will be limited. You need to reduce yourspeed to havetimeto reactin crowded spaces. Herearesome of theplaceswhereyoumayneed toslow: Shopping centers, parking lots,anddowntown areas.Thesearebusyareas withvehicles andpeople stopping and starting, andmoving indifferent directions. Rushhours often haveheavytrafficanddriversthatalwaysseemtobeina hurry. Narrowbridges and tunnels. Vehiclesapproaching eachother arecloser together. At tollplazas vehicles arechanging lanesandpreparing tostopandthen speeding upagainleaving theplaza. Thenumber oflanescould change both before andaftertheplaza. 36 Schools, playgrounds,residentialstreets.Theseareasoften havechildren present. Always be alertfor children crossing thestreet,or running or riding intothestreetwithout looking. Visibility and Reaction If a hazard is in yourpath andyouneed to stop,youneed timeanddistance. It takes much longer andfurther tostopthan many people think. If youhavegoodtiresand brakes anddrypavement: At 50 mph, it cantakeabout 400feet to reactto something yousee andbring yourvehicleto a stop.Thatis about thelength of a city block. At 30mph, it cantakeabout 200feet to stop.Thatis almost halfa city block. If youcannot see400feetahead, youmaynotbedriving safelyat50mph. If you cannot see 200feet ahead, youmaynotbe driving safelyat 30